ABSTRACT: The European Air Traffic Management network has shown remarkable growth over the past decade, driven by increased air traffic, population purchasing power, and sector advancements. However, the sector faces challenges, resulting in rising delays and capacity constraints, which have impacted its efficiency. The paper analyses the growth and actual status of air traffic management in Europe. The study draws on historical and forecasted data to assess actual status and future challenges, using information sourced from Operations reports, Aviation Outlook reports and economic forecasts. The aviation sector plays a vital role in driving economic growth, creating jobs, and supporting global trade, but is highly sensitive to geopolitical situations and trade tensions. In recent years, volumes have been on unprecedented levels. Looking ahead, the European ATM market is projected to continue growing, thus long–term investments and strategic planning will be essential to address potential inefficiency. The growth of European flights is heavily influenced by the maximum capacity available at airports. Forecasts indicate up to million flights may be unaccommodated in 2050 [2]. Despite the current slowdown, the aviation sector is still anticipated to experience significant growth, although it will face ongoing challenges related to capacity limitations, uncertainty, and evolving market conditions. Key factors contributing to ATFM delays within the scope of air traffic management are ATC staffing, ATC capacity and airport capacity. The only way to overcome capacity limitations is improved navigation infrastructure, which can increase the ability to accommodate a larger number of flights.

KEYWORDS: Optimal Route, Air Traffic Management (ATM), Transport Efficiency, Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM), Aircraft Operations, Aviation Safety, Airspace Capacity, Delay Analysis

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